Never been Weirder
by Vampire Shinigami
Summary: -CHAPTER 7 UP- HP/DM SLASH* Draco Malfoy, wanting to live a muggle life, chooses to appear at the Dursleys, and will be staying till school re-opens! Harry isn't happy at first, but...
1. Not Welcome Here

WARNING: This contains SLASH, well, in later chapters. Besides that, it also contains long-windedness, just try and see. Yes, for a 14-year old, I'm almost as long-winded as my grandmother. -.- I am SO not Happy.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Bloody hell! I own nothing.  
  
Title: Never been Weirder  
Author: Sapphiryn Ruby  
Rating: PG-13   
Spoilers: We'll see, mostly minor ones so far.  
Summary: (Eventual H/D slash) Draco Malfoy, wanting to try out living a muggle life, chooses to appear at the Dursleys, and will be staying till school re-opens! Apart from a temporary truce between the two enemies, Harry's life gets a little less boring with midnight visits to Knockturn alley, and other odd things like pillow fights and Malfoy trying to adjust to living with the Weasleys for two weeks! What leads to a temporary friendship, could then lead to something more lasting!   
AHEM.**clears throat** READ AND REVIEW, DAMNIT!  
  
CHAPTER 1-  
  
* * * * *  
  
Harry Potter had gotten a big shock when Draco Malfoy, his worst enemy aside from Voldemort, turned up on the doorstep of no. 4 Privet Drive with his almost equally as hated Aunt Marge. Of course, he had no idea Aunt Marge had been bewitched, and apparently Vernon Dursely didn't notice anything different and invited his sister and the boy next to her to come in and sit down.  
  
Harry had been peering down at the doorway from the top of the stairs all the while, and almost lost his balance when Draco spotted him, and gave him an unmistakable smirk. Harry crept out of sight, but didn't go back to his room. He didn't notice the two trunks hidden behind Aunt Marge's portly figure.  
  
In the living room, Dudley had managed to waddle over to his Aunt, who gave him a wet smoochy kiss on the cheek. "Let me take your luggage, Aunt Marge," he said. Aunt Marge laughed, which made all the furniture rumble, and Vernon laughed along with her, making it like an earthquake. "The luggage isn't her's, son. Aunt Marge isn't staying," Vernon said. Aunt Petunia now made her entrance, greeted her sister-in-law, and resisted all temptations to pinch the cheeks of the fair-haired boy who was supposedly one of her relations.   
  
After a short conversation, from which Harry still had no clue as to why Malfoy was here, Aunt Marge declared that she had to leave. To Harry's amazement and anger, she left Malfoy sitting in the Dursley's squishy couch. That set off a curiousity alarm.  
  
"HARRY! GET DOWN HERE!"  
  
Uncle Vernon barked, and Harry rushed down the stairs, stumbling over a large metal piece from one of Dudley's playthings. Malfoy was still seated on the couch as Uncle Vernon explained the situation, pretty much making everything clear. What Harry couldn't catch was the long and very snooty-sounding name that Uncle Vernon had addressed Malfoy with. He almost sniggered to himself as he thought, //might as well have let him be called Draco Malfoy, it's shorter and so much easier to pronounce.// Still, he wasn't feeling at all happy.  
  
"... and you will move into Dudley's room, so that our guest may have a room to himself." Harry said "What?" as politely as he could manage while Dudley started wailing. He had only realized Uncle Vernon was still speaking until a while ago. Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, ignoring the wails. " I SAID... " he was about to repeat when Malfoy interrupted him.   
  
"It's alright, Mr. Dursley, Your son can keep his room to himself. If no one minds, I can stay with him." And he looked in Harry's direction. "But... but..." Uncle Vernon couldn't refuse, or his self-image of a good host would be ruined. Harry's eyes were focused on a pair of wooden ducks on the windowsill, but he was clenching and unclenching his fists, which made it pretty obvious that he wasn't pleased with the results of his own prediction of Uncle Vernon's decision. Dudley had shut up, and a grin stretched over his ugly, pasty face.  
  
"If you don't mind...but... " Uncle Vernon trailed off. He wasn't about to reveal Harry's 'shameful past', which needed no worrying about. Malfoy knew almost everything about Harry's past which could be used as a weapon against Harry, as something to provoke him and most likely get him into trouble.   
  
Malfoy smiled brightly, displaying acting skills which contrasted sharply against his true character. "All settled!" He chirped. Harry wanted to gag. //And that git is going to be staying in my room. Till school re-opens! Dudley is bad enough, but this...// "Harry! Help our guest bring his luggage to your room. And mind you, there's still the car to clean, and your Aunt want's you to..." Harry put on his mental ear plugs and made his way over to the two trunks. //Wait, add Uncle Vernon to the list of problems as well...//  
  
Harry was dragging and pulling one of the trunks up the stairs, when Malfoy walked up to the other end, and grabbed hold of the other handle. "Move it Potter," he drawled. "I wouldn't be helping you if I didn't want to get upstairs and take a look at the condition of our room." A loud slap announced that Dudley had seated himself at the foot of the stairs. Already irritated by all the sudden events, Harry snapped at him, "help us for once, will ya?" Dudley, eager to make a good impression on Malfoy, dragged himself over to the other trunk and pulled at a handle. The trunk hardly budged. After all, tough as he looked, Dudley was just a massive lump of fat, muscles not included.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As the door closed behind the both of them, Harry wished he could tell Malfoy to get out. He couldn't, because now the room was shared by the both of them, and he was very sure that if he tried, he'd be back in the dark cupboard under the stairs where he had lived for most of his life.  
  
Harry's curiousity was overtaking his ability to think, so he decided to ask the one, very simple question and get over with it. "What ARE you doing here, Malfoy?"  
  
Malfoy smirked again, "Father couldn't wait to get rid of me..." he said, making that particular piece of information sound just about as redundant as a glass of iced water in the north pole. He crossed the room and sat on Harry's bed, crossing his legs. It was then that Harry realized what the spare mattress was doing in his room. "Father is going to be busy for a very long time, he was going to send me to my cousin's mansion to stay. "  
  
"So why didn't you go?" //Would save me a whole lot of trouble too.//  
  
Malfoy looked out of the small window. "I told him I was bored with my usual life. I told him I wanted to come here. To bother you. To make your life even more miserable. 'Go ahead,' he said. 'Go be a nuisance, but just make sure you won't bother me.' He arranged everything." Harry wanted to grab Malfoy by the neck and strangle him, but he refused to. Malfoy's expression didn't exactly show that he was here to be a nuisance, more like he really did want to escape his usual life.   
  
From what he had heard, life with the Malfoys wasn't that great either. Minus the servants, the mansion, the atmosphere that was filled with dark magic... Harry wasn't too sure how far this was true, but he decided to hold onto that and see how everything went. He suddenly felt very awkward with the sudden silence. Dudley was probabaly messing around in his own room, and Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were probably in the kitchen.   
  
Harry got startled when Malfoy decided to confess. "Okay Potter, I do hate my home. I hate everything, my mother, my father, hell, every damned thing they own." Harry's mind went blank. Malfoy continued speaking, "So just let me stay here, I won't hinder your life, I'll even cut off all the insults, for a whole damned month. You can even pretend I'm invisible, I might even resort to treating you as my friend." He paused to take a breath, and looked up into Harry's eyes. He looked slightly lost. "Yes?" He asked softly, hardly his usual uncaring self.   
  
Harry made his decision. "Yes."  
  
He looked at the decaying floorboards.   
  
* * * * *  
  
Throughout the rest of the day, the Dursleys had been fairly nice to Harry, but only in Malfoy's presensce. He still had to weed the garden, clean Uncle Vernon's car, and do the rest of his usual jobs.   
He went through dinner without eating less than what everyone else had, which was partially due to the fact that the Dursley's hadn't forgotten about Sirius Black. Uncle Vernon had finally learnt not to tell corny jokes during dinner, so Dudley's munching could be heard loud and clear. Aunt Petunia told him to 'chew nicely, and watch your manners.'   
  
Before and during dinner, Malfoy did his best to act as if he wasn't there. Definately not what Harry was thinking he would really do. Despite listening to those couple of sentences from Malfoy, part of him still believed that he was really here to wreak havoc and cause even more chaos in Harry's life.  
  
Draco Malfoy did not exactly enjoy himself very much. Compared to his own, usual life, muggle life was so mundane. Boring. Just what he needed, but this was too extreme for his liking. He could tell by the way Harry watched him out of the corner of his eye, that he wasn't pleased himself. That was expected. He was probably puzzled even further by Malfoy's sudden change in behaviour. //You mean he was ACTING the whole time?! Hell, that's impossible!// He scrubbed harder at the kitchen counter. Draco Malfoy, heheh, 'Slytherin Prince', (Author: _o) behaving like a statue. Hardly moving, always watching.   
  
Uncle Vernon had introduced Malfoy to one of the greatest muggle inventions of all time: the television. "keeps the rowdiest kids quiet for a little longer," he had declared, then doubted that this polite and handsome young man would ever be found even an inch away from 'rowdiness'. Malfoy had spent 3 hours straight watching ridiculous gameshows and silly cartoons. After that, he rubbed his eyes sore, and hypothesized that 'The famous Harry Potter' wore spectacles because of that. 'The famous Harry Potter' had probably watched less than 5 hours of television in his life, making it higly impossible that the TV was the cause of his poor eyesight.  
  
After washing the dirty dishes from dinner, Harry went up to his room and closed the door gently behind him. Another of Uncle Vernon's Guidelines to an Invisible-Harry life: minimal noise. It meant venting his anger on things which made a lot less noise than a slamming door, like pillows, for example. The problem with that was Aunt Petunia would make his life even more unpleasant if she found a mess of feathers and fluff, which happened to look suspiciously like the stuffings of a pillow. She would brand him a criminal, which had been done many times over anyway.  
  
A short while later, there was a soft knocking on his door and Draco Malfoy came in as quietly as he had come up the stairs.  
  
* * * * *  
  
A small advantage of having a guest staying it your room: It ensured Privacy. From Harry's aunt, uncle, and cousin. No more sharp rapping of knuckles on the door, and no one bursting suddenly into the room to check on him. No privacy from Malfoy though, but Harry didn't need much of it. It wasn't as if he kept top-secret military weapons in his bedroom anyway. He didn't even keep a secret diary.   
  
Servant by day, student by night. Being the Boy who Lived didn't give Harry a license to ditch all his homework. The only sound in the silence of the night was the scratching from a pair of quills. Being favoured by the head of Slytherin house didn't give Malfoy a license to do so either. Companiable silence. Almost. Harry found it much easier to concentrate on his herbology essay without having to write under a torchlight under his blanket. Perhaps his eyesight would improve! He almost laughed at the thought.  
  
After working in silence for over two hours. Malfoy snapped his potions textbook shut and dropped it on the bed. He yawned and stretched like a cat. Harry continued writing about the made-up adventures of a non-existant wizard and the number of dangerous plant life he had faced. Interesting essay, but he had to describe the plants in great detail, as well as any unusual properties, and how to defeat them if they attacked.  
  
Malfoy got a small container out from his trunk and made his way towards the door. "Where are you going?" Harry asked without looking up. Malfoy gave him a mishchievious grin.  
  
"exploring."  
  
The Dursleys were all fast alseep by now. And Malfoy had just confessed that he wanted to go wandering around Knockturn Alley? "Are you crazy?" Harry hissed at him. If this was only the first day, he didn't want to think about after 3 days. "Well, I did find out that Arthur Weasley conveniantly left the ecleptic or electic fire plugged into the floo network... "   
  
Harry hesitated. He was really feeling stressed. Just 2 days ago, he had almost threatened Dudley with a kitchen knife. Since Malfoy was here, and not to mess his life up further, he might as well take advantage of it. //Malfoy IS acting a little odd...// A wide grin spread over his face. //Let's have some fun.// Then he realized this could all be a huge trap. He walked towards Malfoy, Voldemort could be out there for all he cared. He was tired of being the Boy who Lived.  
  
* * * * *  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Ya, no need to flame. The lack of reviews is a clear enough indication that no one's reading this. Well, feel free to spot mistakes and all. -.- 


	2. Knockturn Alley

lil' note: Sorry if the writing's a little odd and unconnected, your darling author mostly listens to Eminem while writing fics, and while 'Stan' is pretty fine, 'Steve Berman' and 'My Dad's Gone Crazy' appears to have their weird effects. Mind you, they include spelling errors, so pardon me for the weird spellings I didn't manage to spot.  
  
CHAPTER 2-  
  
*****  
The two boys tiptoed downstairs to the Dursley's electric fire, Harry holding his invisibility cloak in one hand, and Malfoy holding his container of floo powder in his. When they reached the fire, Harry removed the boards, revealing a bunch of fake glowing coals and flames. Malfoy uncapped the container and held it out to Harry. "Ladies first," he said, and grinned at his own bad joke. Harry rolled his eyes, then took off his glasses and stuffed them into his pocket. He was still holding the invisibility cloak, so he used his free hand to get a pinch of floo powder.   
  
As the powder scattered over the fake fire, a real, blazing green flame suddenly shot up from the fireplace. Harry stepped into it, enjoying the immediate warmth, and shouted "Knockturn Alley!" The Dursley's living room started to spin...  
  
Harry fell face first out onto a hard, stone floor. He was in the same place he had arrived in during his first encounter with floo powder. He got to his feet and stared around, beginning to get the feeling that this was the wrong place to be. Before anything else could happen, something kicked him hard in the back of the leg and landed heavily on top of him. He yelled out of fright and someone furiously clamped a hand to his mouth. As Harry struggled, trying to free himself, he rembered something: Malfoy was supposed to be after him. He stopped moving and Malfoy hastily got off and brushed some soot off his muggle clothes.   
  
"You could at least move out of the way!" he whispered, "and try to be more quiet." Harry shook his head, dusted soot off himself, and put on his glasses. "Now what?" he asked, trying to control the increasing heat that was radiating from his cheeks. Malfoy didn't answer, but grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him past many strange locked boxes, preserved magical creatures, and a cage full of screeching things, and out of the shop. "There's this really cool something that I've been dying to try," Malfoy said excitedly, releasing Harry's wrist and gesturing down the narrow, dimly lit street.  
  
Harry followed Malfoy to a shop called "Dangerous Muggle Artefacts" and rooted his feet to the ground right outside the doorway. No way was he messing around with 'Dangerous Artefacts', even if they were from the world he had once lived in and believed it to be all he had. Muggles. Malfoy skipped right up to what he was looking for and read the sign on it again.  
  
'Ouija Board. It is your own risk, messing with spirits from the muggle world.' Malfoy shuddered with excitement tinged with a tiny bit of fear. Right after he had read the last word, lightning suddenly streaked across the sky outside, followed by a loud crash of thunder. He jumped a little, thinking that perhaps he should leave this muggle device thing alone till a nice, sunny day when nothing could go wrong.   
  
"You git! let's go back! It's about to rain!"  
  
Harry was waving his arms madly outside the shop, trying to get Malfoy's attention. Another flash of lightning and an even louder clap of thunder made Malfoy run out of the shop to join Harry back on the street. "Another day, another day," he announced his thoughts out loud. Harry was already running back towards Borgin and Burkes, not even bothering to inform Malfoy that he didn't want to be found in, or even near Knockturn Alley for a long, long time.  
  
Before the pair had even made it very far, it had started to rain. Not a drizzle, but large, bullet-sized raindrops. Borgin and Burkes was just nearby, but the rain was so thick that both of them were soaked by the time they made it into the shop. It was only now that Harry realized all the shops were left open even though the owners weren't around. He took it that all the items on sale were cursed or had protective spells on them. He thought it was a little odd too, that Knockturn Alley wasn't bustling with illegal wizarding activities. On the contrary, it was as silent as a grave. (Author: Boo.)  
  
"You first now," Harry pointed a shaky hand at Malfoy before suddenly letting out the explosive sneeze he had been stifling. Malfoy took a pinch of floo powder, scattered it into the fire and handed his container back to Harry. The moment Malfoy disappeared into the floo network, Harry prepared to return to the Dursleys. A large slimy tentacle shot out from the dark corners of the room and curled round his leg.   
  
*****  
  
After waiting by the Dursley's electric fire for a little longer than 3 minutes, Malfoy got impatient. The floo network wasn't exactly reliable, but as long as you got the words of the location right, you would end up exactly where you wanted. He yawned and seated himself on the squashy couch. His wet clothes made a dark patch on the cushion. After 5 more minutes had passed, Harry wasn't back yet. Malfoy was beginning to get worried about his friend. //Ha ha. Friend. For once I have a friend who can actually manage 11 words without having to take a bite of some food or another.// He certainly didn't miss Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Something was up. Malfoy dashed back to their room as quietly as he could manage, then threw open his trunk with surprising silence. He snatched up the small box containing the rest of his floo powder, and after a second thought, his wand. He clattered down the stairs without thinking, and practically shouted 'Knockturn Alley' while standing in the fireplace. The wet floors could be handled later.  
  
*****  
  
When Malfoy arrived in Borgin and Burkes, the first thing that he saw when he stumbled out of the fireplace was Harry's invisibility cloak. He swore under his breath. He felt a little spooked by the dark corners, and thought he heard something moving in the shadows. He tried not to let anything at all scare him, meanwhile deciding to risk a 'lumos'. When the tip of his wand illuminated, he was relieved that what his father said before was true.   
  
Knockturn Alley was so filled with dishonesty and lies, and cheats, and what would be considered evil to most people, that it had developed a sort of shield, so that it became a world on it's own. Nothing could be detected by the Ministry of Magic, because the shield had been formed naturally, after all the hexes and curses used had been interwoven into the atmosphere. (Author: Sorry, corny explanation but it's necessary -_o)   
  
Malfoy wouldn't have realized it, but he could have performed an 'Avada Kedavra' without getting an owl from Hogwarts, informing him that he had been expelled. All the times he had been in Knockturn Alley with his father, he had never bothered to test if this was true. The Ministry had tried hard to keep this fact a secret, but those who knew about it had definately made a point to take advantage of it.  
  
With the end of his wand casting a faint beam of light in front of him, he started slowly towards the retreating shadows. Almost immediately after that, the shadows started to slowly advance towards him. He squinted, and took a glance at the many flickering candles at the other corner of the shop. He took a small cautious step forward, wand-light making the shadows retreat again, only to be swallowed up at the other end by something hiding there. Malfoy frowned, sighed, and told himself to be a man, although he still had about 3 more years of being a teenager. He half-heartedly aimed a reductor curse at the darkness, and blasted a table, and something else out of his way.   
  
A sudden brainwave hitting him, he fired red sparks into the air, and trapped by the room, they emitted an eerie glow. Malfoy was slightly disorientated by the rest of the room being revealed so suddenly, but had no time to look around, as he had something to keep him busy. A disgusting, fat slob of a creature was waiting to destroy him, and sure as hell a creature which looked like that wouldn't give him time to look for Harry, especially as Malfoy had just blasted it out of the way like an abandoned portkey. It opened it's mouth and let out an ear-splitting screech, almost causing Malfoy to drop his wand.   
  
A jagged streak of what looked like neon lightning hit the creature, and ice began to form on it's slime-covered skin. Tentacles flailed, and the thin layer of ice at the bottom broke, leaving the creature looking like a monster pop with an octopus' bottom. As the ice began to thicken some more, Malfoy darted behind a shelf and waded through an ankle-deep mess of weird stringy herbs, broken and unidentified things, and monster slime. Someone had already made a mess of the place after he had left, and before he arrived again. Behind him, the creature was bumping about, tentacles free, but having increasing difficulties supporting a body encased in a large block of ice.  
  
Malfoy was now shouting Harry's name repeatedly. Getting desparate wasn't a good way to handle matters, but worrying would probably kill him anyway. He used the reductor curse to blast more objects out of the way, ignoring the black marks they made on the floor. He blasted his way around the room, keeping an eye on the tentacle-thing all the while. He made his way to the back of the thrashing creature to the other side of the shop. Amongst the mess there, he spotted a tuft of black hair sticking out behind a table. Harry must have been under or behind it when Malfoy blasted it away.  
  
Harry's glasses were missing, and probably broken. Malfoy already knew that Harry would be uncounscious when he finally found him, or he would have somehow escaped back to the Dursley's, or came out to help Malfoy. However, he didn't expect to find Harry tied up. Unless the creature had extremely skillful tentacles, then someone, a human, was behind this. Deciding not to ponder upon why that someone had not actually kidnapped Harry, Malfoy stuck his wand into his pocket and used both hands to drag Harry towards the fireplace.   
  
There was a loud crashing sound, as the stupid slime creature finally realized that smashing it's body against the hard wall would crack the ice and make large chunks of it break off. Malfoy's were almost as round as Dudley's belly, as he allowed himself just a second to be wasted on staring. It took just a short while to drag Harry to the fireplace, as he wasn't very heavy, given the way the Dursley's had fed him before their third year at Hogwarts. With Harry slumped in front of him, Malfoy hurridly got out the floo powder and threw a pinch into the fire.   
  
Then he allowed himself to wonder how was he going to get himself and an uncounscious Harry back to the Dursley's. He wasn't going to literally risk his head, by dumping Harry into the fire and shouting 'Number 4 Privet Drive' up the chimney for him...  
  
The green flames started to go down, which meant some floo powder wasted. An extra loud crack and an especially ear-splitting screech anounced that the tentacle creature was ice-free, and ready to get it's tentacles on whatever it wanted. Malfoy dropped the container and held his wand in front of him, not exactly ready but forced to face whatever came next.   
  
* * * * *  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Well, ya see, the plot isn't that simple, but whatever it is that may lead to something else darker, will just be part of the sequel to this fic. :P And don't need to tell me you hate this chapter. I hate it too. -.- Well, the next chapter is going to be silly, and gets slightly slashy now, so watch out! 


	3. the pointless chapter

hmmmhmmm~ I know you thought I was dead, but I'm not... yet. :D ((My writing stlye may have changed again. Sorry. It always does)) oh, and this chapter is a little shorter.   
  
CHAPTER 3-  
  
*****  
  
A jet of purple light flashed and hit the monster, which left no traces of it, except for a bit of charred floor. Someone else was hiding amongst the mess, watching.   
  
Obviously, it would be risky to look for who had destroyed the monster, so Malfoy half-pulled Harry to his feet with one hand again, and flipped the cap off the container of floo powder with the other.   
  
In too much of a rush to bother, he shook an entire cloud of floo powder into the fireplace, and leaving the container behind, dragged Harry into the fireplace with him. using both hands to hold Harry's body against his, he said 'Privet Drive No. 4' as clearly as he could, trying hard not to choke on the soot.  
  
The pair landed on the Dursley's floor with a soft thump after an extremely uncomfortable journey. Malfoy paused to make sure the Dursley's were still in their beds, then turned Harry over to check on him. He was still unconscious, so Malfoy tried to carry him up to his bedroom, stopping every once in a while to listen out for the Dursleys, and to take short rests. Harry wasn't exactly heavy after all, but this was working against gravity.  
  
When Malfoy finally reached the bedroom with Harry, he was too tired even to lift him onto his own bed, so he just gently dropped him onto the matress and untied him. Both their clothes were still damp. Malfoy sat at the edge of the bed breathing heavily, and watching the sleeping Harry out of the corner of his eye.  
  
//He's going to catch a cold...// Malfoy poked Harry in the side. "Wake up." He hissed. It was a pity he couldn't use magic, or he would have used 'enervate' to get him conscious. He grabbed Harry by the shoulder and started shaking him.  
  
Malfoy shook Harry a little to violently, because the other boy actually woke up, and feeling both drowsy and angry, actually grabbed his wand and was about to curse Malfoy. The wand was of course wrenched from his grasp, and a dry set of pyjamas was dumped over his head. "Change, or you'll get sick" Malfoy told him. He started to pull his damp shirt over his head, and Malfoy politely turned to face the nicely white-washed walls.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, when Malfoy woke up, the couldn't believe if what he did the night before was real, or just a dream. He squinted at the bright sunlight coming through the window and wondered if Ron's and Hermione's lives were like this all the time. Was this what being Harry's friend meant? Following him or letting him follow you around, then following him or letting him follow you into trouble, and either letting him get you out of it, or get him out of it.  
  
As Harry stirred next to him, he remembered that people did crazy things out of love. Or maybe it was just his morals. Actually, his father would have been proud of him if he hadn't returned to look for Harry, but Malfoy was one confused boy now. He hated his Death-eater father, who would want nothing more but for his son to follow in his footsteps, and had yet to discover how he himself was going to turn out as a person. He supposed he would eventually drop the nasty-boy spoilt-child image, but where would he go after that?  
  
"You're weird Malfoy." Harry said, noticing the blonde staring out of the wondow.  
  
"Draco."   
  
"Oh, we're on first-name terms now, are we?"  
  
"Suit yourself, Potter."  
  
"Anyway, I just want to thank you for getting me back here," Harry stretched lazily and yawned, "assuming it was you, and however you did it."  
  
Harry suddenly happened to notice he was in his pyjamas. Blushing slightly, he inquired, "How did I get into these?" indicating a sleeve. "I hope it wasn't you." He added. Malfoy's pale face was obviously showing a faint blush too, not something common at all.   
  
"I didn't, of course. I woke you last night and you changed into them yourself. Don't you remember?"  
  
Harry shook his head, still looking slightly suspicious. "We'll leave it then." he said, and walked to his cupboard to look for clothes. Aunt Petunia's high screech of a voice would be calling him down any second soon. As he unbuttoned his pyjama shirt, he glanced up, and his eyes narrowed. "Turn around, Malfoy."  
  
*****  
  
Later in the afternoon, Harry was cleaning the Uncle Vernon's car. He had been given so many specific instructions, that Harry wondered why Uncle Vernon never cleaned his car himself. Malfoy was sitting on the garden bench, wathing as usual. Dudley was out with his best friend Piers on his parents' private yacht.   
  
"I wish you wouldn't watch me like that," Harry complained. "First of all, it makes me feel uncomfortable, and second, you're not doing anything."   
  
Malfoy grinned. "Are you jealous, or just bored?"   
  
Harry frowed. "Bored, I suppose. I'm used to working like this."  
  
"Well, we could talk, I suppose. Your uncle probably wouldn't want me to help, and After all, I've never cleaned a muggle transport device before."  
  
Harry stared at Malfoy. He was really weird. For four whole years, Malfoy never had a nice thing to say (or do) everytime they met. And suddenly, he turned up a few days ago, acting like a normal human being. The thought of someone drinking polyjuice potion, and acting under Voldemort immediatly sprang to his mind. However, he just replied, "Talk away."  
  
Malfoy's grin faded. He had nothing to talk about.  
  
*****  
  
Due to certain reasons. we shall have to postpone any slash. This chapter was extrmely pointless. :( Next chapter, there is going to be voices in the head. yes. voices. Sorr for using this chapter just to get back the hang of ficwriting. 


	4. morning news

Foo Fighters Rock!   
  
CHAPTER 4-  
  
*****  
A few small birds landed on the roof of the house and started twittering in irritating high voices. The humidity was unbearable. Draco Malfoy had nothing to talk about, and Harry Potter dropped the tin of car polish, scaring away the noisy birds. "So?" Harry asked.   
  
Malfoy honestly didn't know what topic of conversation to pick. He squinted at the hedge, wondering if the Dursleys had garden gnomes. "Well... I don't know... any questions you would like to ask?" he said, feeling very lame indeed.  
  
"Okay, tell me why your family hates me so much. Is it really because I caused Voldemorts downfall, I mean, before he rose again?"  
  
A hard question. Malfoy wondered if he should tell the truth. "Well..." he said slowly, stalling, "It's..."  
  
"Yes? Well? It's?" Harry asked, polishing a hubcap with as much strength as possible. Uncle Vernon had stated that he wished his hubcap to have mirror-like qualities, which meant that when he looked into it, he should be able to see his ugly pasty face in in, complete with the blotches and the disgusting mustache.  
  
"Well... It's beacuse, see... when they were in school my father had a crush on yours... then they started going out, but eventually your father got persuaded to leave him by those gryffindor friends of his. My father was bloody upset when he met your mom."  
  
There was only one way to say this. Harry got a freaking hell of a shock. He tried to look up suddenly, and only succeeded in hitting his head on the side-view mirror. Malfoy bit his tongue nervously, and listened to Harry groan in pain, rub his head, and check to see if the mirror was damaged. He took a deep breath and said in regret, "I don't think I should have told you that. Sorry."   
  
"No, it's ok. I'm a pretty open-minded person, that definitely was a frightening bit of morning news."   
  
Malfoy had a funny expression on his face. He was chewing on his lower lip, but Harry noticed that in his eye, was what looked like one of Dumbledore's famous eye-twinkles. "You were kidding me, weren't you, Malfoy?" he asked, confused by the twinkle. He picked up the cloth and started polishing the hubcap again.   
  
"No, I'm not kidding. You can ask my father, but I doubt he'll admit it. He would strangle you and hang you outside our house first."  
  
"Oh, haha, Malfoy. I think you did come here to make me miserable after all. Stop talking rot. I suppose next you're going to tell me you found all that out by reading your dear old dad's secret diary."  
  
A blank look allowed itself to settle. "Well, even if you don't believe me, I did. My father did have a diary."  
  
Harry shot a 'prove-it' look at Malfoy.  
  
"Look, I'd show it to you, but it's hidden in a compartment behind the bookshelves in my parents' room. I don't think my mother even knows about it. And in case you were wondering, not my entire family hates you."   
  
"Really?" said Harry, trying to be sarcastic, "Don't tell me you have a sister starting school next year and she has a crush on me or something." He was reminded of Ginny, who still made small incoherent noises evertime they happened to meet at corners.   
  
"Not exactly..."  
  
"OK. An aunt? A cousin? A distant distant relative? Or the worse, your mother?"  
  
"Not telling" replied Malfoy firmly. "It's bad morning news, and this time, that mirror thing would probably break off."  
  
Harry stared. 'Not exactly? Not telling?' Someone in Malfoy's family had a crush or 'something' on him? "April Fools' day is past and Gone, Malfoy. Stop kidding around. Are you trying to drive my curiousity meter nuts? Well too bad, I don't care."   
  
"You don't? Well, Potter, how about if I told you that I, have fallen in love with you?"  
  
Both Malfoy's and Harry's mouths fell open. Neither could believe that Malfoy had just said that. Harry was about to ask... but the other boy had scooted back into the house.  
  
*****  
  
Later at night, after pointedly avoiding Malfoy for the rest of the day, Harry finally returned to his room. He had a lot of things clear off his mind. //I know I'm an open-minded guy, but Malfoy?// He needed to ask a few questions too, just that the other boy seemed to be talking to himself.  
  
"Hello?" Harry waved his hand in front of Malfoy's face. "You can't," he was saying repeatedly. Harry was starting to get a little worried. Perhaps Malfoy belonged in Saint Mungo's... [[Harry Potter. What a delight to meet you.]] An echoing voice sounded in his head. Harry looked around, but the voice was in his head, not entering through his ears. The same voice, that he had heard in Knockturn alley. Then the voice left his head, but he could hear what it was saying to Malfoy.  
  
"Get out!" Malfoy said to the voice it his head, but it just laughed. [[Little Draco has found himself a boyfriend. Like father like son. And unfortunately nothing has been learnt from past mistakes.]] His head was beginning to hurt badly. "Go away," he hissed.[[It's such fun, being able to torment people when they can do nothing about it.]] Malfoy closed his eyes. "As long as I am happy, there is nothing YOU can do." he said. [[Happy? I will make sure you never are.]]   
  
"I know who you are. My father sent you. I know your weaknesses. I will win."   
  
[[You will win? Interesting. How pathetic that sounds too. I will return]] The voice left. "Who was that?" Harry asked, in slight horror. There was definitely something spooky about hearing a voice in your head, especially when you couldn't do a thing about it.  
  
"Xenophon," Malfoy replied. "He's a death-eater. My father probably got him to watch over me. Not as a guardian, but to ensure I don't spill any of Lord Voldemort's secret plans or something. You know about my father being a death-eater. You saw him yourself. "  
  
"Yes, but you were saying... I know your weaknesses? He has weaknesses? How...?"  
  
"Yes, he does. I know how it all works. No one is ever truly contented, so he is able to enter our minds by making use of the distractions we feel. The only way to prevent him from reaching you is to cut of any distracting thoughts." (Author: *Ahemkoffkoff* I am pretty sure we all know what this leads to. :D)  
  
"That sounds kinda like a dementor." Harry remarked. Then he wondered about Sirius, and whether he had reached Professor Lupin. He decided to write a letter to his godfather later, when Malfoy was asleep.  
  
[[Draco is giving away my secrets. How perfectly nasty.]] Xenophon was back, speaking to both of them.  
  
Malfoy was chewing his lower lip again, but this time with a look of alsolute determination. He looked at Harry seriously and said, "Sorry for this, but just work with me. We might be able to drive him out." Harry had no time to react before Malfoy threw his arms around him. The next thing was that Malfoy's lips were on his. Harry had never kissed before, and never in his scariest nightmare would he imagine his first kissing encounter to be with his enemy-of-four-years.   
  
[[Trying to get rid of me?]] said Xenophon mockingly? Harry pulled away and took a deep breath. His face was hot. Malfoy still had his arms around him. [[Silly little boys. As if that would work.]]  
  
"What were you doing?!" Harry suddenly shouted, realising what had just happened. Malfoy looked sheepish. "I kissed you." he stated the obvious. Xenophon was laughing. A cold, high-pitched laugh not unlike Voldemort's. "Well, then this Xenophon guy is right! As if that would work!"   
  
Malfoy still looked sheepish, despite the fact that there was a voice around, which belonged to a person who could actually see everything that was happening. "I did think it would work," he continued, "besides, I thought you were open-minded." Harry was glaring at him, and Xenophon was still laughing.  
  
"Well, even if I actually knew how to kiss, and willingly did it, I don't see any sense in the act, because this Xenophon could be in our minds the whole day, and we would end up kissing the whole day to counter it."  
  
[[Potter is smart. Very unexpected. Looks like Draco here was looking for an excuse to plant a smooch on your delicate lips.]]   
  
Harry's blush wouldn't leave his face and he felt as if bluebell flames were dancing across the surface of his cheeks. He turned to Malfoy. "Were you?" he demanded.   
  
"I guess." Malfoy said, blushing furiously too. "Mr Open-minded." he added. Xenophon started laughing again, and Malfoy wished he could first of all, take away his voice, then lock him in a really small dungeon with Professor Trelawney. There had to be another way to get rid of him.  
  
*****  
  
lalalala~ lala~ laaaaaaaaaaaaaa~ 


	5. liking the licking

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I own nothing! I am just borrowing JK Rowling's characters! (This applies to any previous chapters where I forgot my disclaimer)  
  
^ ^ If you find spelling or other errors, please, please tell me. I won't get offended! After all, a person needs to learn things through mistakes. The name Xenophon means 'strange voice', by the way. :) If you think my chapters are getting shorter, sorry. I'll make the future chapters longer!  
  
CHAPTER 5-  
  
*****  
  
Malfoy was digging inside his trunk for something. Harry was lying face up on his bed, and Xenophon had finally decided to leave. He could be back anytime, though.  
  
"So you really were looking for an excuse, weren't you?" Harry asked casually. Malfoy's back was to him, and he didn't answer. "Maybe I was." he replied, after finding what he was looking for, and waving it around triumphantly with a little grin on his face. The thing looked like a small violet-coloured twig. As Malfoy walked towards the bed, Harry sat up, hoping that he wasn't going to try anything else funny. "Well," Harry said, speaking his thoughts, "I hope whatever you are going to try next won't concern me." "It might." said Malfoy, twirling the violet twig with his fingers. He pressed a small button and the colour changed to blue. red. beige. orange. then green. He sat at the edge of the bed and Harry edged away, just a little.  
  
"You... you aren't going to kiss me again, are you?" Harry asked. His heart was racing and the blush was returning to his face. "I might." Malfoy moved a little closer. Harry already had his back against the wall and couln't move any further. "If you're going to... then you... then you better ask permission first." Harry put a hand lightly on his own face. It was hot enough to melt his standard size 2 pewter cauldron on. Actually, he had a good mind to run out of the room and lock himself in the bathroom, even if Malfoy did ask.  
  
"Alright then, Potter. Can I kiss you?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Malfoy moved in right next to Harry. The other boy gave a small yelp and tried to move backwards. Malfoy was holding the twig like a pencil. "I'll try something else!" He grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled it downwards, causing him to fall sideways onto a pillow. with one knee holding a hand down, and the other hand with the twig-thing in it, Malfoy threw his entire body onto Harry's. "Stop struggling." he advised. Harry glared into the gray eyes. How he hated them, they looked so evil, and how he hated that smirk too. Malfoy slowly lifted the arm holding the twig, and placed it in front of Harry's face. "Can I kiss you, Potter?" he asked again.   
  
Harry didn't want to answer. "What's that?" he asked, referring to the twig. "I don't know Potter. It could be a sweet, or maybe some fascinating object which belongs to Lord Voldemort." the smirk remained. "Now can I kiss you, Potter?" Harry took a deep breath, or as deep a breath he could take with someone right on top of him. He looked into the eyes again and surrendered. "OK, OK, but just one... and er... make it quick." Harry had the feeling that Malfoy knew all along that he would eventually agree, because now that he had, Malfoy didn't exactly have the happiest-boy-in-the-world look. He still had the same expression.  
  
A sudden wave of panic passed through Harry's body. Malfoy was the son of a death-eater, someone close to Voldemort. He could be trying to kill him. now. "close your eyes, Potter." Malfoy ordered. Harry obediently screwed them shut. He couldn't think properly now, just hope that if he was to die, it would't be a painful death... He felt the twig being brushed across his lips. Again and again. Poison? Lip gloss? Or was it really a sweet. Or maybe in some other twisted world, it was Voldemort's lipstick. Perhaps it was just a crayon. He opened his eyes and instinctively licked his lips. He tasted nothing. "What did you do?" he asked frantically.  
  
He reached for a photo frame on his bedside table and saw in the shiny gold border, that his lips were just the perfect shade of green, like the twig. He hastily rubbed them with the sleeve of his free hand, but there wasn't even the slightest tinge of colour on worn material. "Get it off!" he yelled in fright. First of all, he was worried about what his Uncle, Aunt, and cousin would say when they saw him, and second, he was worried that it was something permanent. Malfoy laughed softly. "It can be washed off." he said. Harry covered his mouth and ran out to the bathroom, looking disgusted. //To hell with being friends, Malfoy. You can be my enemy forever.//  
  
With the bathroom door locked tight, Harry bent over the sink and tried to wash the green stuff off. It remained there. He covered his mouth again and ran back to the room feeling even more panicky. "I can't get it off!" he shouted, once ensuring that his own room door had been closed and locked. Malfoy tilted his head slightly. "I can." Harry suddenly felt a lot more relieved. Of course. It was just an ingenius little toy from Zonko's joke shop. He had seen it before. Only the person who had used it could remove it. Then he felt worried again. He wasn't too sure if Malfoy would want to remove it for him.  
  
Harry looked like he had ants in his pants. Or maybe even a few blast-ended skrewts. "Relax, Potter. I will get it off." Malfoy noticed his anxiety. And Harry noticed a certain note of happiness in Malfoy's voice. "How?" he asked. Malfoy licked his lips in reply. and Harry understood. "I am not going to let you lick it off!" he cried, "I'll rather leave it till I die!"   
  
"Oh really?" Malfoy tossed the coloured twig across the room. It landed in his trunk.   
  
Harry's heartbeat grew more rapid. Malfoy really knew how to get what he wanted. He was indicating a place next to himself on the bed, and Harry found himself taking reluctant footsteps in that direction. He sat almost right at the edge of the bed. "Do you want the paint off?" came the inquiry. Harry nodded. "I don't want you to lick it off." he said, knowing full well that Malfoy would pay no attention to that. "I said, do you want the paint off?" he asked again. Harry sighed, and nodded again.   
  
In one swift movement, Malfoy had Harry in the same position as before. Harry closed his eyes, and felt Malfoy's warm breath on his cheek. He tried to control his own breathing, and not hyperventilate or something. When he finally felt Malfoy drawing the tip of his tongue slowly across his lips, he parted them by instinct, and fought back with his own tongue. He opened his eyes. Malfoy was smiling in amusement. "Liking this, Potter? Or hating it?" Harry closed his eyes again. When Malfoy licked his lips again, it was a little bit rougher. Again, Harry fought back. It carried on for a few more times, before it finally grew into a real, passionate kiss. The paint was probably all gone by now, but no one cared.  
  
"liking it." Harry admitted, after both of them drew apart for a breath. Malfoy really looked satisfied. "Can I kiss you again, Potter?" Harry was the tiniest bit hesitant. "Alright. But promise you won't call me Mr. Open-minded again when you feel the need to." Malfoy smirked. "Can I call you Harry, then?"   
  
"Fine, Draco."  
  
"Need me to use the paint again, Harry?"   
  
"No, Draco."   
  
"You don't have to use my name all the time, Harry."  
  
"You too."  
  
Malfoy grinned. "To achieving personal happiness!" he said, and attacked Harry's mouth. The pair were enjoying themselves.  
  
*****  
  
LoL, I think this is my favourite chapter so far, but I don't know about you reviewers, if there are any. :) If anyone is kind enough too to tell me how to make words in italics, or in bold, or underlined, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance to anyone who can tell me how! 


	6. good knight

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I own nothing! I am just borrowing JK Rowling's characters! OK, well, Xenophon belongs to me, but I don't want him. XP  
  
First of all, thanks to all you reviewers who told me how to make words bold and italics and stuff, but I think I'll stick to the simple way of typing in notepad. (so mind the unchecked spelling arrors too!) Thank you for the trouble! T_T I'm soooooooo sorry.....  
  
I don't think I'm typing(or thinking) properly with those workmen smoking outside my window. The house opposite mine is being renovated. No offense to smokers, but I really dislike the smell.   
remember that the [[ ]] is Xenophon, ok? And one last thing. If you think Draco is OOC, and behaving funny... wait till the next chapter... the reason why will be staring you in the nose. :)  
  
CHAPTER 6-  
  
*****  
  
Malfoy's two greatest worrys were present at the moment. One was in his head, and the other was standing, or rather, filling up the doorway of Harry's room. [[You're in trouble~]] the first worry sang. The second worry, with an ugly moustache quivering fiercely, looked ready to blow up. "Harry!" Vernon Dursely shouted, as if the small room was at least 10 square miles in area. Malfoy stayed in his place at Harry's table, while Harry got up from his place at his bed to face his uncle.  
  
"Would you like to know something interesting, boy?" Vernon Dursely asked in his dangerous voice. "Not really." Harry answered boldly. It was lucky that the Dursleys still believed in and feared Harry's godfather, a 'murderer'. Uncle Vernon was tapping his foot slowly, but it sounded like a one-legged elephant crashing up a flight of stairs. "You will have to know anyway, boy." he paused. "because I'm sure that it concerns you. And... your sort."   
  
Harry felt the fear that usually comes between a blinding flash of lightning, and the deafening crash of thunder which usually came about two seconds later.. "Been playing any tricks lately?!" Uncle Vernon suddenly barked out. "Any pranks that I should know of?! Such as how did he," and he pointed at Malfoy. "How did he get here?"   
  
Harry was confused. "He was with Aunt Marge. Aunt Marge brought him here." Uncle Vernon's face was the colour of the sky outside. It was nighttime. "Oh did she?!" he roared. "And why is it that when I called her up just now, she had no apparent memory of him?!" he pointed at Malfoy again. "Could it be that those... people came again, and wiped her memory? Because it was something that she should forget? Explain!" Uncle Vernon didn't wait for an explanation, or even an answer. He slammed the room door shut, and Harry heard a key being turned in the lock. "I'll find out soon enough, boy!" he heard Uncle Vernon declare, voice muffled by the shut door.  
  
Harry turned to Malfoy. "Now what?" he said. "I don't want to seem helpless or anything, but something tells me that we better escape from this place. Fast." Malfoy looked thoughtful. "I suppose we could go to that Weasley's house. You've been going there to stay for the last few summers, haven't you?" Harry felt guilty. It was only one week into the holidays, and surely he didn't expect the Weasleys to provide food for two extra people. They needed every knut and sickle, and even a galleon, if they happened to have one. Besides, the whole family would have to get used to Malfoy, and his... new relationship with Harry.  
  
Hermione was on holiday in Switzerland with her family, so they wouldn't be able to stay with her, even if her parents allowed it. Then, Harry remembered what he had been planning to do for the last couple of days. Write to Sirius. He snatched the piece of parchment and a quill on his table. [[What's Potter doing now? writing a love poem to his beloved?]] The irritating voice was ignored. Then as the tip of the quill met the paper, Harry stopped. He wasn't about to give Sirius away. Not to anyone he could trust more than his best friends. Not Malfoy. Although he had admitted that he felt a strange sort of attraction to the other boy, he didn't actually trust him any more than he would trust uncle Vernon.  
  
"Who are you writing to?" Malfoy asked. But Harry shook his head. Maybe they could escape to Diagon Alley, and stay in the leaky cauldron...  
  
A tattered, dark shadow suddenly appeared outside his window, and for a moment, Harry thought it was Errol... but then it revealed itself to be a slightly smaller owl, and a brown one too. Its feathers weren't in very good condition, but it was able to perch quite steadily on Harry's desk lamp, watching him out of its large yellow eyes. Harry grabbed the parchment which was attached to its foot and read.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I know that Draco Malfoy is with you, but everything is too complicated to explain now. Both of you have to get out of your Uncle's house as soon as possible. I think it would be best if you came straight to my house before anything is decided, my address is written at the bottom of the letter. If you're worrying about Snuffles, he's fine. He reached my house about three days ago. Seeing that you can't use magic, the next best way to get there would be by the Knight bus. If you don't know how to call for it, just stand on any open road, stick out your wand arm, and it will come.   
  
If my owl hasn't lost it on the way, you will also find a small parcel attached to her foot. It contains a small box with some powder in it. sprinkle the powder on anything you wish to bring along, and it will be kept in the box. Send a reply and leave quickly, because you honestly cannot afford to waste any time.  
  
Remus J. Lupin  
  
"He knows?" Harry asked no one. Malfoy, who had been reading the letter over his shoulder shrugged. "I don't know anything either." [[You're running away.... naughty boys...]] Xenophon hissed. [[And little Draco has something that he's not telling...]] "You do?" Harry asked Malfoy, not bothering in the least about actually having payed attention to what Xenophon was saying. "I might have," said Malfoy, frowning at the voice in his head. "But it's not important now."   
  
Harry picked up his quill again and started writing a reply while Malfoy removed the small parcel which contained the box. As Harry started to tie the parchment onto the owl's foot, the realization of what their mode of transport was came back to him. He remembered the conductor Stan Shunpike, and groaned to himself about what might happen if Stan saw him again. "Why does it have to be the Knight bus?" he grumbled aloud. "What's wrong with the Knight bus?" Malfoy asked. Apparently, he had never heard of it before, which wasn't hard to imagine, because the Knight bus wasn't one of the most reliable or comfortable modes of transport for wizards-in-training who had rich fathers.  
  
"You'll find out," Harry said, feeling like a crocodile which had all its teeth removed. He sort of absent-mindedly snatched the tiny box from malfoy, and started by sprinkling some of the powder inside onto his trunk. It got sucked into the box and disappeared. Then, stranglely feeling very bored and empty, he started telling Malfoy about his first time on the Knight bus...  
  
*****  
  
Harry and Malfoy were standing on the road five streets away from Privet Drive. They had escaped from the room by the very muggle method of knotting sheets together, and then using them as a rope to climb out of the window. Harry used his free hand to check that the box, as well as his glasses were still in his pocket. His other hand was being held by Malfoy, who insisted that he needed to be helped around like a blind person. According to Malfoy, Harry looked much better and a lot more different without his glasses, increasing the chances that both the Knight bus' driver and conducter wouldn't be able to recognise him.  
  
"Alright," Harry said, blinking. "Which one of us is going to wave for the bus?" "Me", Malfoy answered, then added almost immediatly,"You know Harry, maybe you should put on your glasses. I can't stop looking at you, and wanting to kiss you, and wanting to..." Harry stuck his hand into his pocket and hurridly put on his glasses. He had tried to be honest with himself, and admitted that Malfoy did scare him, aside from being able to kiss like nobody's business. And what scared him the most was the capability of getting what he wanted...  
  
"Fine," Malfoy said, not smiling. He removed Harry's glasses gently. "Well, at the very least, don't you want a kiss?" he asked hopefully, with a tinge of playfulness. Harry folded his arms, tried to look cross, and tripped over a kerb. Malfoy grabbed him by the hand he had stuck out for balance and in panic, and they both fell hard on the pavement. Neither of them realised that Harry had just accidentally waved for the Knight bus. "I might. And if I do, I'll tell you. Besides, my vision is so bad that I'll probably even miss your face."   
  
"You have SUCH a sense of humour... by the way, you won't miss, because all you have to do is close your eyes, and I'll..."  
  
"LOOK OUT!!!" Harry suddenly yelled, as the unmistakable form of the Knight bus flew over a bump and landed with a crash a short distance away, given it's violently record-breaking speed, it reached him in half a second. Harry waited for the vaguely familiar speech Stan had greeted him with two years back, when he had accidentally hailed the bus by also tripping, but over his own school trunk and sticking out his wand arm for the exact same reasons.  
  
"Welcome to the Knight bus..." Stan started, and Harry waited patiently for him to notice him, and Malfoy, who was still directly on top of him where they had fallen. "What're you both doin' down there?" Stan inquired, and both boys hurridly got up, and dusted their clothes. "We fell over." Harry explained, keeping his head lowered. Malfoy grabbed hold of his arm with both hands, and noticed Stan watching them in curiousity. "He's been partially blinded," Malfoy lied, but quite truthfully "We're going to get him fixed up." He told him the address, paid the exact fare not including hot chocolate or a toothbrush, and dragged Harry up the narrow wooden stairs to the third and last deck. "We'll find ourselves an empty bed!" he called down.  
  
Stan turned towards Ernie Prang, the hardly qualified driver of the bus. "I was just wonderin', Ern, why'd that boy said he wanted only one bed, when he'd paid fer two?!" Ernie took his eyes of the road to answer, but it made not much of a difference. "Them teenagers now," he said slowly and seriously. "Strange at their age, they are."   
  
Upstairs, they had found an empty bed right at the end, and were sitting on it side by side. Harry felt like screaming in frustration. He had left his glasses lying five streets from Privet Drive, on a patch of grass covered with overgrown weeds. "It's all your fault, Draco!" he whispered angrily. "Now I am REALLY partially blind, and will have to deal with the unfortunate embarassment of having to be led around by you like a poodle!"  
  
"In that case, I would be the guide dog, and you would merely be a blind person, not a poodle."  
  
"Still..." Harry tried to argue.  
  
"Has living with those muggles permanently left you a pessimistic person, Harry? Why can't you be an optimist for once. I'm optimistic by nature, so why don't you let me take advantage of the situation?"  
  
Harry wanted to protest, and found himself, again, being captivated by the pair of slightly blurred grey eyes. He squinted. "It's like you have magic in your eyes" he mumbled.   
  
*****  
  
Yes, yes, Xenophon is appearing less and less!!! Want a hint of the next chapter? He is appearing less and less, so that the 'something else' can begin to take its full effect. No, it has nothing to do with Draco's eyes.  
  
READ AND REVIEW!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!! I don't spend hours in front of the eyesight-damaging white glare of the computer screen typing fics for people who won't even leave a short note, be it good or bad. 


	7. a surprise Harry

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I own nothing! I am just borrowing JK Rowling's characters! OK, well, Xenophon belongs to me, but I don't want him. He's the most awful original character I've ever created. Anyone wants him? :)  
  
New note: HP: OotP is out! Took me 14 hours to read it. Just informing you people that it will not affect this fic AT ALL. got it?! ;) OK! (btw, I wrote half this fic before the book came out like 3 months ago, so pardon me if it seems disjointed)  
  
Dear reviewers, you are all very extremely scary, almost as scary as I am. Thank you to everyone who gave me small tips and stuff, but don't ever expect me to be perfect because I am naturally careless, and regardless of all the new things I learn, I always manage to find more new things to mess up. pardon my very very very long time between updates. Music: Anti-nostalgic, Yuutsuna Seven days, Smashing blue, Predilection --from Gravitation (it's an anime, and a shounen ai one at that)  
  
CHAPTER 7-  
  
*****  
  
Harry looked sideways and spotted a hazy figure in bright yellow robes lying on the opposite bed. "Not now," he whispered to Malfoy. "When we get to a more private place."   
  
Malfoy agreed, because right after Harry had completed his sentence, the Knight bus suddenly swerved off then back onto the road, causing bushes and a cat to fly out of the way. He didn't want a bruised cheek, or nose. Grabbing a pillow and settling comfortably at one end of the bed, he blew out the bedside candle. The entire last deck was lit only by their bedside candle, and the one of the opposite bed.  
  
Harry felt his way to the other end of the bed, grabbed for the other pillow, and ended up slipping on the sheets and landing painfully on Malfoy's leg. The other boy half-feigned a groan, and chucked his pillow at Harry. Harry, unused to the dark and unfocused surroundings, felt extremely confused, especially after the fluffy, odd-smelling pillow smacked him accurately in the side of the head. Malfoy laughed as quietly as he could manage. "Stop bullying me..." Harry grumbled, stretching out his arms as if in search for something he couldn't see.  
  
"I will, I will. I never knew how amusing it is to really know you, Harry." Malfoy sneaked up behind the disorientated one and flung his arms around him playfully. Harry could feel warm breath on the back of his neck.  
  
"It seems that... I don't know, I'm really sleepy." Harry imagined a gentle smile on Malfoy's face, and the thought instilled a little happy secret feeling. He twisted around and the desparation to want to see the now-familiar face clearly caused him to bring his face close to Malfoy's, all the while trying to adjust to the constant jerky, sudden movements of the bus, combined with the springy bouncing of the mattress. After the bus made a possible leap over a low wall, various complaints could be heard from the passengers, and Harry found himself on top of Malfoy.  
  
"I..." he said, blushing, and tried to get up, unintentionally pinning Malfoy's shoulders to the mattress with most of his upper body weight.   
  
Through all the shaking and the movement, Harry was sure he saw Malfoy smirk. A smirk no longer meant danger to him. A smirk meant a challenge, and Harry accepted it with a smirk of his own.   
  
"Alright, Draco. I'll try." he said, and Malfoy wondered what sort of messages he was apparently conveying to Harry. He was just about to wonder if it was the effects of having blurred vision, before he realised that Harry was kissing him. An awfully rough kiss, and the fact that Harry was playing tongue-in-mouth and try-to-hold-your-breath-the-longest was enough to render him quite senseless.   
  
Forget about the wizard in the next bed (who had stared, got up, and moved to another bed in disgust) and forget about the crazy, rocking bus. Malfoy had always wanted to be in control, until now. Harry was good at this, which could be considered strange. Perhaps he was posessed. [[somewheeeerrreeee over the rainbow~]] came a horrible singing voice. (Author: recognise the song? *smirk*)  
  
Malfoy closed his eyes. Always at the best moments would Xenophon come. Let us cover him in honey and stuff him up a giant beehive. Harry coughed and sat up. Balanced on top of Malfoy's hips. The other boy looked just the slightest bit uncomfortable. Harry could hear Xenophon too.  
  
"What now? Going to drop another hint of what's going to come to wreak havoc in my life?" Harry asked. Xenophon's voice sounded particularly creepy in the dark, especially because it came without a body.   
  
[[Hints? what hints?]] Xenophon didn't do a very good job of sounding innocent.  
  
[[I'm telling you, that if Draco darling here doesn't pull himself away from you, it's going to kill him.]] Malfoy glanced unsuredly up at Harry. Was that a hint?   
  
"The only way he's going to kill me is if he chains me to a wall and tickles me to death."   
  
Harry stared at Malfoy, raising an eyebrow. He decided to take it as an attempt at humour.  
  
"Tickle you to death?" Harry asked playfully. "Tickle you where? Or are you sure that you don't want something worse?"  
  
[[It's not funny, you see, there is a little c...]] During the two second pause, Both boys thought Xenophon had left. But somehow, the voice returned, just briefly, and nothing was directed at them.  
  
[[Lucius...! I... I wasn't. No, I swear I didn't, I...]] The sentence was cut of again, this time ending with something that sounded like 'mhh...!' The boys wondered. Harry thought that it sounded just like Malfoy did when he got kissed by him. Malfoy thought that it sounded like the last sound made by one of his father's fellow death-eaters when he got murdered. Of course it was Lucius Malfoy who had killed him.   
  
"So, Draco," Harry looked down, unaware that he was again pinning Malfoy to the bed. "Are you really ticklish? And ticklish where?"  
  
"Harry, stop joking, this is serious. All the more because there are two ways of looking at this. Xenophon could be trying to kill me, and my father stopped him. Or Xenophon is helping my father to kill me. I really don't know."  
  
"Why would your father want to kill you?"  
  
"I don't know! I shouldn't even call him my father. I really don't know him, and that's why he's so unpredictable to me. I just... use his name so scare people, and get what I want. Same for my mother." Harry felt sorry for Malfoy, like he sometimes felt a little sorry for himself, but not in a self-pitiful way. They both had friends to keep them happy enough, but they had no parents.  
  
Harry sighed. "I'll tell you a little secret. Sometimes when we passed in the corridors, and you just smirked and made a 'witty comment', I always thought that you needed a hug."   
  
Malfoy dismissed the frustrating thoughts at once. "Potter wants to hug me?!" he said, sounding much like his usual 'usual' self. "What next? Potter is going to grab me, kiss me, and have me tied to his bed in the griffindor boys' dormitory?!"  
  
Potter was looking very guilty. "Want to try the bed thing when we get back to Hogwarts?" he couldn't help asking.  
  
There was a not-so-silent silence, in which no one spoke, but the Knight bus screeched to a pavement-cracking halt to let off a passenger. That was when Draco suddenly started coughing blood.  
  
******  
  
REVIEW!!!! *goes hysterical* *starts to see mini frueds running everywhere* I shouldn't have read that book about him. AhHhhhhhh!!!! 


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